Just a read

"Not Your Grandfather's Bank"

To be gone through when I'm a bit freer...

Jeffrey Sachs' optimism about Asia

The secret ingredient

To make something special, you just have to believe it's special.

Mr. Ping in Kung Fu Panda

No one but you

[...] Just because people treat you like a villain [...] or just some loser, it doesn’t mean you are one. The thing that matters most is what you think of yourself [...] That’s something you really want or someone you really want to be [...] Then the only person standing in your way is YOU […] Each of you is standing in your own way [...].

--- Artie in Shrek 3 (2007)

If the world were a village of 100 people

by C. Douglas Lummis

My daughter's junior high school teacher is a wonderful woman who sends out an e-mail every day to her student, in the form of a class paper. Among those messages there was one that so moved me that I want to send it to you. Sorry it's a bit long.

When you woke this morning, did you look forward joyously to the day? When you go to bed tonight, do you think you will be filled with satisfaction? Do you think the place you are isrecious? It is to you who cannot say right away, "Yes, of course" that I send this message. If you read this, the things around you might start to look a little different.

In the world today, 6 billion 300 million people live.
If this world were shrunk to the size of a village,
what would it look like?
If 100 people lived in this village,

52 would be women, 48 would be men.
30 would be children, 70 would be adults.
7 would be aged.

90 would be heterosexual, 10 would be homosexual.
70 would be nonwhite, 30 would be white.
61 would be Asian, 13 African, 13 from North and South America, 12 Europeans, and the remaining one from the South Pacific.

33 would be Christians, 19 believers in Islam, 13 would be Hindus, and 6 would follow Buddhist teachings. 5 would believe that there are spirits in the trees and rocks and in all of nature. 24 would be believe in other religions, or would believe in no religion.

17 would speak Chinese, 9 English, 8 Hindi and Urdu, 6 Spanish, 6 Russian, and 4 would speak Arabic. That would account for half the village. The other half would speak Bengal, Portuguese, Indonesian, Japanese, German, French, or some other language.

In such a village with so many sorts of folks, it would be very important to learn to understand people different from yourself and to accept others as they are.

But consider this. Of the 100 people in this village,
20 are undernourished, 1 is dying of starvation, while 15 are overweight.

Of the wealth in this village, 6 people own 59% (all of them from the United States), 74 people own 39%, and 20 people share the remaining 2%.

Of the energy of this village, 20 people consume 80%, and 80 people share the remaining 20%.

75 people have some supply of food and a place to shelter them from the wind and the rain, but 25 do not. 17 have no clean, safe water to drink.

If you have money in the bank, money in your wallet and spare change somewhere around the house, then you are among the richest 8.

If you have a car, you are among the richest 7.

Among the villages, 1 has a college education. 2 have computers. 14 cannot read.

If you can speak and act according to your faith and your conscience without harassment, imprisonment, torture or death, then you are more fortunate than 48, who can not.

If you do not live in fear of death by bombardment, armed attack, landmines, or of rape or kidnapping by armed groups, then you are more fortunate than 20, who do.

In one year, 1 person in the village will die, but in the same year, 2 babies will be born, so that at the year's end the number of villagers will be 101.

If you can read this site, that means you are thrice-blessed.
First, because someone thought of you and sent you this message.
Second, because you are able to read.
Third, and most important, because you are alive.

Someone once said: "What you send out comes back again".

So sing from the bottom of your heart,
dance with your body waving free,
and live, putting your soul into it.
And when you love,
love as though you have never been wounded,
even if you have.
And love the fact that you and others,
live here in this village.

Perhaps if enough of us learn to love our village,
it may yet be possible to save it from being torn apart.

Source: http://www.jamsarts.com/100people.htm
(Recommended by Prof. O)

11 Ways to Make This Your Best Year Ever

I just came across an article written by Charles M. Marcus in 2000. I find his writing very motivational and inspiring. Hopefully, it can be served as a think tank for you to kick 2008 off wisely and expectedly fruitfully.

The start of a fresh new year. This is a wonderful time to take stock and reflect on the year gone by, the triumphs you achieved, the time you shared with family and friends, the good choices you made in business. But in order to grow and develop both personally and professionally, you also have to look back at and acknowledge the things that challenged you, the things that did not go so well.

There is nothing wrong with setbacks, in fact, I believe that if we don't have obstacles to overcome along the way we won't learn and grow. Thomas Watson, the founder of IBM, once said, "If you want to increase your rate of success, you better be prepared to increase your rate of failure."

We all have hopes and dreams for a new year. The slate is wiped clean for all of us as we start afresh. Why not take a few moments in to think about your dreams and goals for 2001? In what areas do you want to grow? What is truly important to you? What challenges do you want to take on? Most of us don't realize what we can accomplish when we unleash the hidden talents that we possess. To help you make this year your best ever, take a few moments to ponder these 11 suggestions:

1. CHALLENGE YOURSELF
Have a clear vision and focus of what you want to achieve and set a time frame. Challenge yourself to be the best you can be at all times. Visualize what you want to accomplish. See it in your mind. Write down your goals, have a plan of action, and never doubt you will be successful.

2. FIND THE LOVE FACTOR
Surround yourself with loving, supportive people. Stay away from the dream stealers, the people who would bring you down. Cherish the special people in your life and let them know you cherish them.

3. DEDICATE QUALITY TIME
Life is so precious; make the most of each and every day. Rise early, spend some quality time by yourself as well as with those you care about. Go for a walk, workout, read a book. Value not only the time you spend with your loved ones, but also the time you spend by yourself.

4. STRETCH YOUR COMFORT ZONE
Do at least one thing a day, which makes you feel uncomfortable. Push yourself; you will be amazed how far you can go. Remember: on the other side of fear is freedom. To remain stagnant is not to grow. To reach your full potential, you must rise above the fray and soar like an eagle.

5. BE PASSIONATE
Show passion in everything you do. Let it show in your body language, in your smile, in your voice. Let your eyes sparkle. Let the world see and hear your enthusiasm and let it feel your passion.

6. SERVE OTHERS
Be a role model and mentor for people. Volunteer in your community and help others achieve their goals. Your world will be enriched and a better place for sharing your talents and giving freely of your time. Leave a lasting legacy.

7. DON'T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF
Let go of the little things you can't control. Don't take yourself so seriously. Recognize that perfection isn't always the only option. Don't let life's imperfections bother you. Lighten up and see the funny side of things when they go wrong, the learning in them. Be tolerant, smile...don't waste your energies on the small stuff, you have much bigger fish to fry.

8. LIVE WITH INTEGRITY
Always be true to yourself. Take pride in whatever you do. Be proud of who you are and what you represent. Accept others with all their flaws. Show compassion and goodwill to your fellow human beings. Be dignified. Lead a life of purpose and be proud of your values.

9. SHOW GRATITUDE
Show gratitude and say thank-you to the people who have helped you along the way. Send a handwritten letter to someone who has touched you. Call up a friend or loved one and tell them how much they mean to you. Compliment a colleague or business associate on a job well done. Show people you appreciate and care about them. Acts of kindness cost nothing but mean everything.

10. CELEBRATE SUCCESS
Be proud of your achievements. Take time to recognize yourself and others for even the small successes. But also be humble and dignified, sensitive to people who are not as fortunate as you.

11. EXUDE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
I cannot express enough the importance of having a positive attitude and believing in yourself. Yes, you can be well intentioned, you can be determined, but without a positive attitude about yourself and about life, you will not succeed. Dreams will die, goals will fade, and gloom and darkness will replace clear blue skies and sunshine in your mind and heart.

Remember people will sometimes forget what you say to them or do for them, but they will never forget how you made them feel in their hearts. Make yourself a commitment for this year not only to have the best year ever, but to help others that you care about accomplish this goal as well.

Copyright by Charles M. Marcus 2000. All Rights Reserved

Author's Bio

Charles M. Marcus is a professional speaker, trainer and writer. Charles works with organizations and corporations across North America and Great Britain that want to ignite and maximize performance potential. For more information please call 416-467-6025. fax: 416-423-6080 or e-mail at
charles@cmarcus.com . Email Charles to receive a free subscription to his
e-newsletter.

The article can be found at selfgrowth.com (retrieved on 9 Dec 08).

The Husband Store

Welcome to the Husband Store

A store that sells husbands has just opened in New York City, where a woman may go to choose a husband.

Among the instructions at the entrance is a description of how the store operates.

You may visit the store ONLY ONCE!

There are six floors and the attributes of the men increase as the shopper ascends the flights.

There is, however, a catch...you may choose any man from a particular floor, or you may choose to go up a floor, but you cannot go back down except to exit the building!

So, a woman goes to the Husband Store to find a husband...

On the first floor the sign on the door reads:

Floor 1: These men have jobs and love the Lord.

The second floor sign reads:

Floor 2: These men have jobs, love the Lord, and love kids.

The third floor sign reads:

Floor 3: These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids and are extremely good looking.

"Wow," she thinks, but feels compelled to keep going.

She goes to the fourth floor and sign reads:

Floor 4: These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead good looking and help with the housework.

"Oh, mercy me!" she exclaims, "I can hardly stand it!"

Still, she goes to the fifth floor and sign reads:

Floor 5: These men have jobs, love the Lord, love kids, are drop-dead gorgeous, help with the housework, and have
a strong romantic streak.

She is so tempted to stay, but she goes to the sixth floor and the sign reads:

Floor 6: You are visitor 4,363,012 to this floor. There are no men on this floor. This floor exists solely as proof that women are impossible to please.

Thank you for shopping at the Husband Store. Watch your step as you exit the building, and have a nice day!
............................................

My remark: It's true to some extent for some people, either men or women. Options may help you get the best or lead you to nothing, I doubt.

5 Philosophies of Life

1. Don't let someone become a priority in your life when you are just an option for them.
(Me: I know I do... Not good, yet no choice!!!)

2. Never cry for any relation in life because for the one whom you cry doesn't deserve your tears and the one who deserves will never let you cry.
(Me: It sounds so nice, but I don't really agree with this philosophy. If no crying, we won't know how much we value that relation.)

3. Treat everyone with politeness even those who are rude to you, not because they are not nice but because you are nice.
(Me: I'll try my best...)

4. Never search your happiness in others which will make you feel alone; rather search in yourself, you will feel happy even if you are left alone.
(Me: Most happiness is sticked with others. Think so?)

5. Happiness always looks small when we hold it in our hands. But when we learn to share it, we realize how big and precious it is.
(Me: How big or precious it is may depend on those who are shared.)

Life's so precious...

I saw the known loving couple on 10F is hitting each other.

The people that I saw just now is looking at me now.

I think after they see me now, they might feel they're not that bad after all.

A Mother's 8 Lies

Having read the story below, I feel so touched by the emotion of the writer and the greatness of his mother. Luckily, my life is not as miserable as this; I can see and feel most of so-called LIES, though small, of my mum (and my papa as well) in daily life, even I'm now some 4,000km away from home. With the hidden meaningful theme, the story is a must read.

This story begins when I was a child: I was born poor. Often we hadn't enough to eat. Whenever we had some food, Mother often gave me her portion of rice. While she was transferring her rice into my bowl, she would say "Eat this rice, son! I'm not hungry." This was Mother's First Lie.

As I grew, Mother gave up her spare time to fish in a river near our house; she hoped that from the fish she caught, she could give me a little bit more nutritious food for my growth. Once she had caught just two fish, she would make fish soup. While I was eating the soup, mother would sit beside me and eat the what was still
left on the bone of the fish I had eaten, My heart was touched when I saw it. Once I gave the other fish to her on my chopstick but she immediately refused it and said, "Eat this fish, son! I don't really like fish." This was Mother's Second Lie.

Then, in order to fund my education, Mother went to a Match Factory to bring home some used matchboxes which she filled with fresh matchsticks. This helped her get some money to cover our needs. One wintry night I awoke to find Mother filling the matchboxes by candlelight. So I said, "Mother, go to sleep; it's late: you can continue working tomorrow morning." Mother smiled and said "Go to sleep, son! I'm not tired." This was Mother's Third Lie

When I had to sit my Final Examination, Mother accompanied me. After dawn, Mother waited for me for hours in the heat of the sun. When the bell rang, I ran to meet her.. Mother embraced me and poured me a glass of tea that she had prepared in a thermos. The tea was not as strong as my Mother's love, Seeing Mother covered with perspiration, I at once gave her my glass and asked her to drink too. Mother said "Drink, son! I'm not thirsty!". This was Mother's Fourth Lie.

After Father's death, Mother had to play the role of a single parent. She held on to her former job; she had to fund our needs alone. Our family's life was more complicated. We suffered from starvation. Seeing our family's condition worsening, my kind Uncle who lived near my house came to help us solve our problems big
and small. Our other neighbors saw that we were poverty stricken so they often advised my mother to marry again. But Mother refused to remarry saying "I don't need love." This was Mother's Fifth Lie.

After I had finished my studies and gotten a job, it was time for my old Mother to retire but she carried on going to the market every morning just to sell a few vegetables. I kept sending her money but she was steadfast and even sent the money back to me. She said, "I have enough money." That was Mother's Sixth Lie.

I continued my part-time studies for my Master's Degree. Funded by the American Corporation for which I worked, I succeeded in my studies. With a big jump in my salary, I decided to bring Mother to enjoy life in America but Mother didn't want to bother her son; she said to me "I'm not used to to high living." That was Mother's Seventh Lie

In her dotage, Mother was attacked by cancer and had to be hospitalized. Now living far across the ocean, I went home to visit Mother who was bedridden after an operation. Mother tried to smile but I was heartbroken because she was so thin and feeble but Mother said, "Don't cry, son! I'm not in pain." That was Mother's Eighth Lie.

Telling me this, her eighth lie, she died.
YES, MOTHER WAS AN ANGEL!

"M" is for the Million things she gave me,
"O" means Only that she's growing old,
"T" is for the Tears she shed to save me,
"H" is for her Heart of gold,
"E" is for her Eyes with love-light shining in them,
"R" means Right, and right she'll always be.
Put them all together, they spell "MOTHER" a word that means the world to me.

For those of you who are lucky to be still blessed with your Mom's presence on Earth, this story is beautiful. For those who aren't so blessed, this is even more beautiful.

Some simple yet interesting ideas

Just another nice chain mail from a more-than-friend friend.

Always try to help a friend in need

Believe in yourself

Be brave... but it's ok to be afraid sometimes

Study hard

Give lots of kisses

Laugh often

Don't be overly concerned with your weight, it's just a number

Always try to see the glass half full

Meet new people, even if they look different to you

Remain calm, even when it seems hopeless

Be weird whenever you have the chance

Love your friends, no matter who they are

Don't waste food

RELAX

Take an occasional risk

Try to have a little fun each day...it's important

Work together as a team

Share a joke with friends

Fall in love with someone...

...and say "I love you" often

Express yourself creatively

Be conscious of your appearance

Always be up for surprises

Love someone with all of your heart

Share with friends

Watch your step

It will get better
Take lots of naps..

There is always someone who loves you more than you know

Exercise to keep fit

Live up to your name

Seize the Moment

Hold on to good friends; they are few and far between

Indulge in the things you truly love

Cherish every Sunday
(Yeng's favorite... lols)
....... and close your eyes.
Smile at least once a day!